Seed-corn grader



Jan. 10; 1928.

l. c. HOFFMAN SEED CORN GRADER' Filed March 11; 1927 2 Sheets-Shet 1Jay, 10, 19:28.

l. c. HOFFMAN SEED com: GRADER Filed March 11. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Mum: ilumgggmnm All Patented Jan. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1,655,422 PATENT OFFICE.

IRA c. HOFFMAN, or LA FAYETTE. II.\TDIAI\TA,ASSIGNO1TTO THE Tnu's rEEsosPURDUE UNIVERSITY, or LA FAYETTE, woman, a CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

SEED-CORN GRADER.

Application-filed March 11, 1927. Serial N0.1 74, 459.

This invention is a novel machine designed for separating and gradingseed corn and like grains or seed, according to the size of the grains;and the invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts as set-forth in the claims appended hereto.

The machine is designed to separate the seedsotdiiferent size, andcollect the grains ot'like size, by means oil a roll and sizing plateand a toothed or barbed belt by which the seeds are moved lengthwise ofthe roll; said parts being constructed as hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings I. have illustrated one practicalembodiment of the invention, and will describe the same with referencethereto. I

In said drawings: I I I Figure l is a plan viewoi the machine; Figure 2is an end view thereof;

Figure is an enlarged detailsectional view on the line 3'3, Fig. 4; I

Figure at is an enlarged top plan View of the seed separating devices,partly broken away; I I

Figure 5 is a detail view looking to the left on line 55, Fig. 3;

Figure 6 is a detail view of the supports for plate land guard board 3;

Figure 7 is transverse sectional View showing a plurallty oi sinnlar,slde'by side,

grading devices. I

'.he niachineis adapted toseparate the seeds mechanically into severalsizes by passing them along a slot which is regulated in width by a roll1 of varying diameter and an adjustable plate The plane of the worle lugedge of the plate passes through the center (it the axis of the roll andthe working edge of the plate is parallel to the center (it axis of theroll. On the upper surface of the plate is a movable belt 4 which ispreferably serrated or barbed, on the edge next to the roll, to engageand feed the seed. This belt runs on pulleys let, adjacent the ends ofthe plate 5, and is'preferably of such size and so adjusted that thebarbs project beyond the edge of theplate and over the slot as indicatedin the drawings.

Above the plate is a. guard board 3 which is preferably sctat such anangle relative to the plate and the roll that it will with the roll formanapproximately \f-shaped trough (see Figs. 8 and The lower edge of theguard board 3 is set approximately flush with the inner edge of theplate, 5 be-- neath it, and substantially covers the belt 4 exceptingthe barbs i which project into the slot. The guard board may beadjustably secured by bolts 6 to slotted brackets 6 as shown; oradjustably mounted in any other convenient way.

Above the roll '1 is another guard board 2 which maybe supported by anysuitable means, as by hangers 2; The board 2 and roll 1 form one side ofthe trough; and said board will prevent any seed passing over the top ofthe roll. The guards 2 and Elmay be madeptwood, metal or other suitablematerial. r I

A le'ed hopper 8 ot' any suitable construetion is mounted on themachine, above and adjacent the larger end of the roll, and is adaptedto discharge the seed directly into the V-shaped trough, formed by theroll 1 and guard plates 2 and 3, at the narrowest part of the slot andadjacent the largest end of the roll 1.' The hopperS preferably.

has sloping sides which will produce a steady and continuous flow ofseed to the grader; The discharge from the hopper is suitably controlledto regulate the flow of seed and prevent clogging the machine.

The roll, plate, belt, and guards are preferably. longitudinallyinclined so that they slope downwardly from the feed hopper S toard; thesmaller end of the roll; this Facilitates thei'no'vein'ent of the seed,through the trmrgh and along the roll and slot. 7

The roll 1 preferably has a series o'lisuccessive sectionssuccessivelyless in diameter. As shown it hasthree sections 0, (l and e;the section 6 being the largest and longest; sect-ion d being shorterand smaller than section and section a beingQsmallerand shorter thansection (Z. :For grading seed corn thejollowing dimensions of the rollsections, havebeen found useful: Section 6 2% inches in diameter and 28inches long. Sectiond 2- inches in. diameter and 18 inches long; andsection 0 2 Yinehes inbelow section is a like chute C: These chutes areadapted to catch the seed passing through the slot adjacent saidsections.

The plate may be made of wood or any suitable materials. It ispreferably recessed on the top as shown to receive and guide the belt t,but the belt may be guided by any suitable means. The plate 5 may be ofany desired cross section; and is preferably adjustable toward or fromthe roll 1, for regulating the size of the slot between it and the roll.As shown the plate is supported by angle bars 5 adjustably secured to atop member 11 of the main frame by means of bolts 7 and slots 7 as shownin Figs. 3 and (3.

The belt 4 may be a flexible band, or of any other suitable constructionto suit the needs of the seed to be graded. The teeth i of the beltshould be of sutficient length to extend over the slot far enough foretiicient work but not to interfere with the operation of the roll.

- The pulleys 1e will be such as will properly coact with the kind ofbelt used and may be driven by any suitable means. In the constructionshown the pulleys are mounted on parallel shafts 15 adjacent oppositeends of the roll, and shafts 15 are driven in unison by bevel gears 15meshing with bevel gears 16 on a counter shaft 16. One of shafts 15 maybe the driving shaft-and is shown as provided with a pulley 15 by whichit can be belted to a suitable driver. The roll 1 may be driven by anysuitable means, as shown it has a small pulley 20 on one end driven by acrossed belt 18 from a pulley 18 on the adjacent shaft 15.

The roller and belt may be operated at any desired speed, and the powersupplied by hand, electric or any other suitable means.

The hopper, roll, plate, belt, pulleys, guards, and other partsconstitute a single separating unit (Figs. 1-6) and the capacity of themachine may be increased by placing like similar units side by side asindicated in Fig. '7. The single unit, or multiple units, may be mountedupon any suitable framing.

In operation the hopper discharges the seed directly into the V-shapedtrough at the narrowest part of the slot. The inner surface of the rollmoves upward past the slot. The roll regulates the width of the slot andagitates the seeds, and its direction of rotation prevents the seedsfrom packing in the bottom of the trough or pinching between the rolland the edge of the plate.

The barbs on the edge of the belt carry the seed forward'along the slotuntil they find asect-ion of the slot sufficiently wide for them to passthrough. If they are very large they are discharged from the machine bybeing carried over the lower end. In this manner the smaller seed firstpass through the slot, next the medium seed, and then the larger seed;and the several assorted sizes or grades of seed are directed by thechutes E, D, G into suitable bins or receivers.

I claim 1. In a seed 'rading machine, the combination of a roll orvarying diameter, an adjust-- able plate beside the roll and spacedtherefrom to form a slot of varying width between the periphery of theroll and the edge of the plate; means for feeding seed above the slotand adjacent the larger end of the roll; and an endless belt movinglengthwise of the slot and having barbs or fingers projecting over theslot whereby the seed is moved lengthwise of the roll from the narrowerto the wider portions of the slot.

2. In a seed'grading machine, the combina tion of a cylindrical rollhaving a plurality of successive sections successively less in diameter,a plate beside the roll and spaced therefrom to form a slot of varyingwidth between the periphery of the roll and the edge of the plate; meansfor feeding seed above the slot and adjacent the larger end of the roll;and a movable belt having barbs or v lingers projecting over the slotand whereby the seed is moved lengthwise of the roll and slot from thenarrower to the wider portions of the slot.

3. In a seed corn grading machine, the combination of a cylindrical rollhaving a plurality of successive sections successively less in diameter,an adjustable plate beside the roll and spaced therefrom to form a slotof varying width between the periphery of the roll and the edge of theplate; a hopper for feeding seed above the slot and adjacent the largerend of the roll; and an endless belt having a run moving endwise of theslot above the plate and provided with barbs or fingers projecting overthe slot, whereby the seed is moved successively lengthwise of the rollfrom the narrower to the wider portions of the slot.

t. The herein described seed grading machine, comprising a roll ofvarying diameter; a plate at one side of the roll and adjust-- able toand from the roll, the space between the roll and adjacent edge of theplate forming a slot varying in width for the passage of the seed; aninclined board above the plate adapted to direct the seed toward thesaid slot; an endless belt having one run extending lengthwise of boardand adjacent the slot and provided with barbs projecting into the slotto carry the seed from the narrower to the wider portions of the slot; afeed hopper adjacent one end of the roll; and discharge chutes beneaththe various sections of the slot. 7

5. The herein described seed corn grading machine, comprising a rollhaving successive sections successively less in diameter; a plate at oneside of the roll and adjustable to and from the roll, the space betweenthe roll and adjacent edge of the plate forming a slot having successiveportions of successively greater Width for the passage of the seed;

an inclined board above theplate adapted to direct the seed toward thesaid slot; said inclined board being adjustable; an endless one end oftheiroll; and discharge chutes beneath the various sections of the roll.

6. In a seed grading machine, the combination of a roll, a plate besidethe roll and spaced therefrom to form a slot of varying Width betweenthe periphery of the-roll and the edge of the plate; means for feedingseed above the slot and adjacent the narrower end of the slot; and abelt movable lengthwise of the slot and having barbs or fingersprojecting over the slot whereby the seed is moved lengthwise of theslot from the i narrower to the Wider end thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn,I aflix my signature.

IRA C. HOFFMAN.

